October - November 2018 (Issue 120)

Travelers’ appetite for a foodie adventure will be even bigger in 2018 with four in 10 travelers (41 percent) planning to incorporate new food and drink destinations into their travel plans next year (compared to 29 percent in 2017).

Booking.com, the global leader in connecting people with the widest selection of incredible places to stay, has analyzed the views of 19,000 travelers from 26 countries around the world and combined this with their own expert insights to reveal the foodie trends that will tickle our taste buds in 2018.

The research reveals that local food will be the biggest draw in 2018 with two thirds (64 percent) of travelers wanting to eat more local food. Food will even be a deciding factor when it comes to travel, with one in five (22 percent) planning to travel to a destination for the food alone and a quarter (25 percent) actively avoiding destinations that do’t have a strong ‘foodie’ scene.

The potential of technology will continue to seep into our food-filled adventures. Nearly three in ten (29 percent) travelers will choose a destination based on local restaurant reviews whilst nearly a third (31 percent) of travelers are planning to take even more pictures of food while travelling in 2018 so they can post these on social media to give their friends mouth-watering food envy.

The findings also show that half travelers will be more likely to seek out local street food markets – with that in mind the top destinations endorsed for ‘street food’ according to Booking.com travelers are Bangkok, Thailand; Taipei, Taiwan; Hanoi, Vietnam; Istanbul, Turkey and George Town, Malaysia.

Others are after a more award-winning meal, with one in five (23 percent) seeking out more Michelin starred restaurants for 2018. If this takes your fancy why not take a trip to one of the top destinations endorsed for ‘fine dining’ by Booking.com travelers – Rome, Italy; Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Paris, France; Sao Paulo, Brazil and London, Great Britain.

It’s not just about the taste, it’s the experience that will count – travelers will be wanting to embrace all food has to offer with nearly half (49 percent) saying they will be more adventurous with the type of cuisine they eat while travelling and 54 percent wanting to experience more unique dining experiences when on holiday.